Army Is Answerable To Government, Or There Would Be Martial Law, Says Supreme Court

Overruled.

Indian Army soldiers display their martial skills during a two-day âKnow Your Armyâ exhibition in Ahmedabad, India, August 19, 2016. REUTERS/Amit Dave

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NEW DELHI -- The Indian Army is answerable to the central government and the cabinet ministers, ruled the Supreme Court on Friday. The apex court was reportedly dismissing a petition that sought to restrain the central government from using the Army's actions for its political gains.

If the Army was not answerable to the central government, "there would be martial law in the country", the court ruled. According to a report in The Times of India, the petitioner had sought that the armed forces should only be made answerable to the President of India and the central government should have no say in its actions.

This was in response to the Modi government's alleged politicisation of the "surgical strikes" across the Line of Control (LoC), especially defence minister Manohar Parrikar's public statements following the army action.